


to be nobody but yourself

by WaywardDesertKnight



Category: Saint Seiya, 聖闘士星矢: 冥王神話 | Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brainwashing, Brief mentions of alcoholism, Doing Things for the Aesthetic, Double Agents, Families of Choice, Gen, Lost Canvas Compliant, M/M, Not-Quite Ghosts, Pre-Canon, Spectral Portraits, headcanons abound
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-07
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 04:11:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8782450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaywardDesertKnight/pseuds/WaywardDesertKnight
Summary: Sometimes opportunity knocks, other times opportunity knocks you out. To restore Athena's throne, the righteous gain an unlikely ally and champion. But cloak and dagger conspiracies are not normally covered in Saint training. But for one Gold Saint, this game of shadows could hold the fate of the world as its prize. The secret lies in a book, a riddle, and a myth.





	1. A Game of You

_“Listen to me, my little blossom, for my time is coming. I am counting on you to stand against the darkness, to bloom brighter than anyone. You must- you must protect- Athena…”_

  
...

  
Pain.

  
An acute ache all through his brain and heart.

  
Quiet.

  
Empty.

  
Relief.

  
“He’s coming around,” a voice whispered.

  
His eyes slit open, mascara clumped along his lashes. How long had he been unconscious? Much less with his makeup on? How crass, asleep and probably looking like a hot mess with a hangover.

  
“Did anyone get the plates on the semi that hit me?” Pisces Aphrodite croaked at last.

  
“That was no semi,” an old voice crackled beside him, laughing, “twas only Mû, lad.”

  
He sat up, trying to sort through the haze of cottonwood seeds that had invaded his mind. “Oh… I was sent to kill Aries Mû… By order of the Grand Master…” he shook his head, “but that just feels fuzzy, even though it was three days ago…” He rubbed the caked on mascara from his eyes, his appearance was ruined anyway. Vision clear at last he saw Mû kneeling beside him with a toddler in a sling, and beside Mû stood a small troll of a man. “Seems I failed at that.”

  
“Yes you did,” Mû replied, the teen moved the sling away from him. “Not to mention you threatened Kiki, and I can only guess you are responsible for the massacre in Jamil that orphaned him.”

  
“Huh?” Aphrodite tilted his head. “What massacre?”

  
“Calm yourself Mû, it would seem the young Pisces is innocent of that crime. Now come, Aphrodite was it? What’s the last clear thing you remember?”

  
“You know it’s rude to address someone by name when you’ve yet to give yours.” He huffed, a little of his gumption fighting through.

  
The trollish man regarded him, “I would have thought young Aurelien had at least made mention of Rôshi of Gôrôhô. I must take that up with him if he hasn’t.”

  
“Mon pe- I mean, Master Aurelien died nine years ago.” Aphrodite replied, tone unusually somber.

  
“You have my condolences, he was a good man.” Rôshi put a hand on his shoulder.

  
“Rôshi, not to interrupt, but there is still the matter of that.” Mû pointed to the ground, nearby there was a scorch mark in the dirt, ten feet across, in twisted tentacle patterns and spattered with blood.

  
He nodded, “Aphrodite, what is the last thing you remember, clearly?”

  
“Clearly?” The Pisces Saint frowned, “I was fifteen, it was the anniversary of Cancer Dionisio’s death. I was going down to ask- that’s not his name. I don’t know why I can’t remember his name but I know that Deathmask is not his name.” He paused before putting it aside for later. “At any rate, I had gone to check on him, he’d been distant over the last year… Acting more and more erratic, prone to violent outbursts and so on. I hadn’t seen him in over a month so I went to him… And that was when I saw the face for the first time…” He shuddered, “it was… Grotesque. Did you know the Palace of the Crab used to be covered in frescos? His master was an artist in his free time… And he told me once it was the one thing about the palace he would never change. I knew something was wrong, that it wasn’t him, like something had squeezed its way inside of him and shoved him out. So I went to the Grand Master, and he offered me a deal… In exchange for my cooperation, loyalty, and discretion, he would give me the power to save him with my own two hands.” Aphrodite’s eyes fell to said hands, watching them tremble, “after that… It was as if I’d lost interest in everything I held important, justice, people, love compassion, all replaced by a lust for power.” The trembling resolved into clenched fists and a fire in his blue eyes. “That scorched bloody mark… That came from inside me, didn’t it.”

  
“That it did,” Rôshi said. “Whatever has taken the place of Grand Master Aries Shion planted it in you.”

  
At that the Pisces Saint frowned, “Rôshi, where is Athena?”

  
“Safe for now,” he reassured.

  
He accepted the answer, before pausing. From what he recalled of the rest of his fellow Gold Saints, all believed Athena to be within the confines of Sanctuary. Something he knew without Rôshi to be demonstrably false. Then the charge of conspiracy leveled at the two Saints beside him was true. A conspiracy in the name of Athena. He had followed the Grand Master in the hopes that he could bring justice to the world before Athena came into her own. The words that his master had left him with, protect Athena and stand against the coming darkness, words that he had failed to heed.

  
“I want to set this right. I will restore Athena and Sanctuary.” His eyes turned once more to the other Gold Saints.

  
Mû studied him until the sling around his shoulders started to wiggle about. “Hungry!” The small toddler demanded.

  
Rôshi squinted into Aphrodite’s eyes before nodding up at the Aries Saint. “I believe him. And thus as Libra I judge that Pisces Aphrodite shall be remitted to the care of Aries Mû in Jamil until his body, mind, and Cloth have recovered.”

  
Aphrodite closed his eyes, taking stock of the situation. Staying in Jamil long term would only make the Grand Master suspicious that he had failed. “Mû, can Pisces go with only minimal repair?”

  
“What do you mean?”

  
“You need someone on the inside, someone who can pass along the Grand Master’s plans. I have his trust, insofar as he trusts anyone.” He said, struggling to his feet through the headache, “it might be better if you were thought dead. Because next time it will be in all likelihood Deathmask or Shura. Possibly both.”

  
“You’re probably right…” Mû tilted his head. “Are you offering to become a double agent?” The younger man’s eyes widened.

  
“Yes. The eyes and ears of Athena within Sanctuary, has a rather nice ring to it. Perhaps I’ll get an Armani tuxedo to go with it. Sadly I’m not that partial to martinis.” Aphrodite mused, “though a good gin and tonic is always welcome.”

  
Mû rolled his eyes even as Rôshi laughed, “well with an offer like that. Very well then. Take tonight to rest up, then off with you. If we don’t hear from you in a week, we’ll assume you dead.”

  
“Of course. Now then, I’ve wanted to see Jamil since Master Aurelien described it to me.” Aphrodite smiled at Mû as he flipped his hair over his shoulder.

  
“Hungry!” The toddler demanded again.

  
“Very well, this way then.” Mû sighed and cradled the child before he bounded off, Aphrodite hot on his heels. They reached the tower by sundown, and the Aries Saint removed his Cloth as he led the way inside. “Welcome to Jamil.”

  
“Thank you for the hospitality. If you’d like I can make dinner, so you may get to work?”

  
“I suppose,” Mû considered, “but you don’t know where any of my supplies are.”

  
Aphrodite waved him off, as he slipped out of the Pisces Cloth and passed it to the other Saint. “I can manage, besides, this little one is hungry, and we can’t have that.”

  
“I suppose, but Kiki’s only been here for a week, I’m still trying to figure out what he likes.” The Aries Saint protested as he led the way into the kitchen, Pandora Box slung over one shoulder. “And I haven’t gone grocery shopping this week.”

  
“It will be fine Mû darling,” he reassured as Kiki was set into his chair. “Here you are Kiki,” the Pisces Saint quickly took an apple from the basket on the counter and set the pieces on a plate before the child.

  
“Yum!” He cried and crammed a slice in his mouth.

  
“Kiki, what do you say?” Mû smiled.

  
The toddler paused halfway through and with a small pout said, “thank you.”

  
“You’re welcome.” Aphrodite smiled and set to work, scouring the cupboards for what he needed, as Mû disappeared into the forge to begin his preliminary work on the Pisces Cloth. Kiki babbled away at the young man as he worked, and he answered politely and enthusiastically. By the time the Aries Saint emerged from the forge, Aphrodite had finished setting out the plates, and had Kiki on his knee.

  
“Thank you, Aphrodite, this smells amazing.” Mû slumped into a chair gratefully.

  
He smiled over at the young man, “it’s the least I could do darling. Now please eat,” he winked.

  
Even as he blushed, Kiki beamed over at him. “Mû-mama, can Dite-papa stay forever?”

  
“M-Mama?” Mû choked on a mouthful of noodles.

  
“I am innocent.” Aphrodite huffed.

  
The Aries Saint rolled his eyes, “of course you are. At any rate Pisces absorbed your blood from our battle earlier, and has already started to repair. You’ll be free to go by morning.”

  
“Good.” He nodded.

  
Mû frowned between bites, studying Aphrodite hard. “Why are you doing this?”

  
“Doing what?” The Pisces Saint blinked, hand stalled in the middle of wiping Kiki’s mouth off.

  
“Any of this, one minute you’re trying to kill me, the next you’ve cooked me dinner in my own home and have endeared yourself to my apprentice.”

  
Aphrodite’s gaze fell into the glass of juice on the table before him. His own reflection, distorted in the dark red liquid, stared back at him. “My master told me once that to be a Gold Saint one must embrace the ideals that Lady Athena gave us since the Age of Myth. I lost sight of that, and now I’m not sure how to go about following that anymore.” He closed his eyes, an uncharacteristic bitter smile on his fuschia-smeared lips. “All I know is that you’ve given me a second chance, and by my life or death I will see Athena restored, and all put to right.”

  
“I see,” Mû considered as the meal fell into silence.

  
After they finished, Kiki was put to bed and while Aphrodite availed himself of the bath, Mû set to work on his repairs. It was well after midnight when the Pisces Saint emerged from the bath, towel slung low around his hips, to find Mû preparing for bed. The younger man caught sight of him, and promptly turned his back, flinging an extra pair of pajama pants at him. “You can stay in my room tonight, I converted the guest room into Kiki’s unfortunately.”

  
“Alright then,” Aphrodite smiled, tossed his towel into the laundry hamper and pulled on the pants. “How is Pisces?”

  
“Ready to leave when you are.” Mû answered as he started to divide up his hair.

  
“Let me,” the Pisces Saint leaned over and took the brush from the nightstand.

  
“Aphrodite, please, this is hardly-” he started to protest until dexterous fingers wound through his hair, combing and braiding expertly. He let out a relaxed hum and leaned back into the touch. “Where did you learn to do this?”

  
“I’ve had a lot of practice, besides, I know you’ve been living as a hermit here for the last two years. When was the last time you let someone indulge you.” He whispered into the younger man’s ear as he worked.

  
Mû tipped his head back, eyes closed, “too long I suppose.” He kept his guard up, waiting for something to go amiss, but Aphrodite just kept braiding in silence. When he finished, he tied off the braid and kissed the Aries Saint’s cheek.

  
“All done!”

  
“Thank you,” the words came out with a crack in his voice. Mû silently cursed puberty as Aphrodite giggled.

  
“You’re welcome, now get some sleep darling, you look exhausted.” Aphrodite snuggled under the covers.

  
The young man frowned as he readjusted his pillows, “and whose fault is that?”

  
“Shh, sleep now.” The Pisces Saint felt the fatigue crash through him, asleep shortly after his head hit the pillows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note on ages for the start of the story:
> 
> Aphrodite - 18  
> Mû, Shaka, Aldebaran, Milo, Camus - 16  
> Deathmask and Shura - 19  
> Saga and Kanon - 24
> 
> As mentioned in the tags this fic will be Lost Canvas compliant, but is not going to be compliant with Episode G, Next Dimension, or Santia Shô, just throwing that out there for you.


	2. Preludes and Nocturnes

“Aries Mû is dead.”

In actuality Aries Mû was perfectly fine. Well as perfectly fine as a sixteen year old trying to raise a toddler as a hermit in the mountains could be. Aphrodite shoved the image of the other Gold Saint, alive and well, and adorably sleep rumpled, as far back in his mind as he could. The words echoed around the empty throne room.

He kept his gaze fixed to the ground, charming, sincere smile on his face, but a knot of dread twisted in his stomach. If his gambit failed, not only would he be dead, but there would be a real possibility of Mû and Rôshi following suit. However the Grand Master stood, oil-slick black hair fluttered over his robes. He reached down and tipped Aphrodite’s chin up, locking their gazes together.

“Well done, my pet,” the man cooed, a noise that made Aphrodite’s blood run cold. “You’ve done well indeed,” his fingertips traced along one fine cheekbone to a cut. He stopped just shy of touching it. Aphrodite could make out a faint gleam in his eyes, and what a sweet smile would look like on a cat that cornered a canary. “Go rest, I shall call you when I need you next.”

“Of course, Master.” Aphrodite inclined his head as the Grand Master resumed the throne. 

He stood and took his leave, not relaxing until he had sequestered himself within the Palace of the Twin Fish once more. Cloth off and bath drawn, the young man allowed himself to relax for the first time since setting foot in Sanctuary. But the test had been passed, now all that remained was to devise a plan for how to proceed. That could wait for tomorrow, in the meantime, he decided to go to Sanctuary’s library, find something to read, and try and shake off the jitters.

He threw on some clothes and made his way down the hill. It was early evening, his report had been delayed by the Grand Master making the rounds through the village. As he walked, Aphrodite spotted Shura training, pausing to admire the Capricorn Saint. Another one on the inside, but stubborn as they came. Approaching Shura about the situation would have to wait for him to even get a handle on the full extent of the situation.

It occurred to the Pisces Saint that everyone now was a potential enemy. Even Milo, one of his closest friends, also out on a mission of some form or another. He paused outside the Palace of the Maiden to find Aiolia and Shaka seated near a window in the Virgo Saint’s kitchen, and he considered them. Another pair of difficult cases, in part because Aphrodite hadn’t exactly been kind to either of them in the past. And part of him suspected that Aiolia would take him down to prove his loyalty to the Grand Master who had robbed him of his brother. It was twisted and awful, Aphrodite decided, and he had to do something to fix this, if for no other reason than in honor of Aiolos’s memory.

He must have been staring though because both of them turned their attention to him. He forced a cheery smile, waved, and sashayed off. The last two Saints he wanted to find himself against in a fight, and if this went badly, that was a very real possibility. Fortunately there was a shortcut to the library near the Palace of the Maiden, one which Aphrodite availed himself of before he had to pass Deathmask. It was frustrating that he couldn’t even remember the name of a man that he had proposed marriage to when he was five. He heaved a sigh as he entered the library, bee-lining for the shelves divided off from the rest by a curtain, the illicit section was as usual blissfully empty.

Aphrodite scoured the bookshelves, brow furrowed. He silently catalogued his way through each book,  _ read it, read it, hated it, why is this tripe still in Sanctuary, read it- _ he paused to pull out one of his favorites, because if nothing else it would be worth a reread. Thanks to the newly arrived books, it was a tighter fit on the shelf, but somehow he suspected that arguing for a budget increase to the library would fall on deaf ears. One last tug freed the book along with something else. A worn, leather bound journal fell to the floor with a dull thud. He stooped and picked it up, and the faded gold leaf trim shone as he touched it, an inscription lit along the cover.

κώδικα του Μεγάλου Μαγίστρου

Codex of the Grand Master

Aphrodite tucked the journal into his pocket before taking up several more books to the front. Once they were checked out, he made his way back up the hill to his palace and disappeared into his chambers. The other books found their way to his nightstand before he disappeared into the wine cellar. Hopefully having the entirety of the palace above him would provide enough of a psychic shield to allow him to work in peace. Otherwise his high treason would be short lived. He closed his eyes as his mind sought out another of the conspirators.

_ Mû darling, I know it’s late but I found something. _

_ Mmm? What is it?  _ The Aries Saint answered,the faint sound of forge work echoing along the link.

_ I was in the romance section of the library and I found this _ , he sent the memory of the book over,  _ I have a feeling it’s legitimate but I’ve no clue what it was doing in there. _

_ Maybe a self-preservation instinct? _ Mû hazarded,  _ It certainly appears to be the one Shion-pa- I mean Master Shion carried with him. _

_ Mû, you can just call him your father, it’s no great secret.  _ Aphrodite replied, withdrawing the book out of his pocket.  _ What else do you know of it? _

_ Very little, when I asked him about it, Shion-papa said it could only be read by the rightful Grand Master, anyone else would be gobbled up, or something otherwise horrific yet phrased for a child. _

_ Well if it eats me, remember me as the most gorgeous person in the world, and not the smear on the floor I’ll likely be. _

With that, Aphrodite undid the tie on the book and opened the cover. To his complete lack of surprise, though also slight relief, the book did not eat him. Instead, it presented him with what appeared to be another cover, the book now doubled in size. He opened that to another cover, and another, and another before it inflated slightly. Somehow it had gone from a small leather journal to an antique coffee table atlas. The cover creaked open and the first page sat before him, presenting him with a riddle, again in Greek, ancient by the look of it.

“I was here before the birth of gods  
I am the death of kings  
I devour the very cosmos  
Beauty slayer love breaker  
Nothing changes without me  
I will be here long after history has forgotten you  
Never forget me, for your successors won’t”

Well the answer was obvious in Aphrodite’s opinion, “time of course.” But nothing happened, so he summoned a pencil from his project room and lightly wrote down the answer. Still nothing.

_ Mû, did you ever notice Master Shion do anything particular when he wrote in this? _

_ You wrote in it?! _

_ I tried stating the answer to this banal riddle in ancient Greek aloud and nothing happened, so now I’m writing in it. So, was there anything? _

_ Um… _

_ Mû? _

_ Patience.  _ Aphrodite huffed but complied, and was rewarded a minute later.  _ I remember there being strange times when his Cosmo would flicker when he was in his office. Maybe that has something to do with it? _

_ Worth a try. _

Aphrodite teleported a chair from the drafting room and sat down. His Cosmo flared, just enough for what he intended to do, before he traced over his answer. The letters glowed faintly for a moment before the page turned automatically from under the tip of the pencil.

“Name?”

_ Mû, I may have encountered a slight problem with this, the book is asking for my name. It does know I’m not the successor yes? _

_ How should I know? _

Aphrodite rolled his eyes before deciding to answer. “Pisces Aphrodite Ljunggren.”

“Predecessor?”

“I’m not the successor of Aries Shion, I’m just a normal Gold Saint in a bit of a bind because Aries Shion was murdered nine years ago along with his successor, and a usurper sits on the Grand Master’s throne, and to top it off Athena is incarnate and missing. Which according to Rôshi, means that a Holy War is nigh, and our current roster is a bunch of teenage Gold Saints, a false Grand Master, and a Silver and Bronze turnover rate of a dead end retail job.” Aphrodite paused, controlling his Cosmo before he attracted any attention. Even with the whole of the Palace of the Twin Fish above him, and in his wine cellar, it was a risk to burn too much. His eyes fell to the book once more, “can you help?”

The letters flickered for a moment before the page turned again, leaving him with a confusing substitution cipher, at least judging by the example at the top of the page.

_ I think this book is mocking me. _

_ Try not to sound so offended, that book is as old as Sanctuary if not older and probably smarter than all of us.  _ Mû chided gently.

_ Ugh, just because one has a brain does not gift one the skill to use it. _

_ If all you’re going to do is mock a book I’m going to hang up. _

_ You sound exhausted,  _ Aphrodite reclined in the seat.  _ Being a father that rough? _

Mû heaved a sigh,  _ you have no idea. _

_ Want me to ask the codex for some parenting advice while I’m at it? _

_ No, but if you could figure out a way to stop a tantrum then I would welcome it. _

The Pisces Saint considered for a few moments,  _ wait until the initial maelstrom has passed, just let it go, then ask what upset them and try to get them to use words. _

_ I’ll keep that in mind. Though perhaps we could continue this tomorrow? _

_ Agreed, I’ll contact you, say ten in the evening your time, I should be finished with Milo by then? _

_ Do I want to know?  _ He could feel Mû’s exasperation.

_ Just our usual darling, nothing to bother your handsome head with.  _ Aphrodite winked, despite the Aries Saint not actually being able to see him.

_ Gah, mmm, good night then. _

_ Good night Mû darling, try not to work too hard. _

The link fell silent and the Pisces Saint yawned. He closed the cover and waited for a crease or something to appear to fold it again. After all, the book unfolded, so surely it would fold again right? After a good minute of nothing, he sighed, “and now I need to remodel the wine cellar, again.” First he didn’t want to haul the tome back up to his project room, second, it was incredibly conspicuous, and would be no matter where he put it, and third, a hidden room in his wine cellar was the only place this book would work aesthetically.

It took two hours, but he managed to get an entire basic room set behind one of the shelves. After dragging the chair in and setting the book on it, he closed the door. It would need a handle of some sort, for now Aphrodite set in a bottle of port, he would make a proper one later.


	3. Fables and Reflections

Summer hit full force and faded once more by the time Aphrodite had finished clearing his new workroom and making it habitable. The Palace overhead complained at him as he did so, just like when he had installed the greenhouses as a child. Scouring a dozen used furniture stores and sales, he had come across a suitably ornate desk, all hand carved fluting and dark wood, and a matched loveseat and chair that the seller swore had once belonged to an Aquarius Saint in the eighteenth century. The upholstery still held up to quality and aesthetic standards even if the markup convinced the Pisces Saint it was just a lie.

Admittedly sneaking furniture into Sanctuary at three in the morning, past the guards and up the hill was far from his choice of activity, but it was worth the risk. A few drapes of red fabric and candelabras recalled to service turned the room into a Gothic study, perfect for toiling late into the night for a grand conspiracy of gods and mystery hidden within an ancient book.

The door into his workroom proved trickier, he wanted a bottle so as not to arouse suspicion but also to point to in the event he ever found another co-conspirator within the walls of Sanctuary. And it was perusing his library for ideas that his eyes fell to a collection of Edgar Allen Poe, he didn’t even need to open the book to know what to base the door’s entrance around. Hence why three days, a bottle of cheap merlot, and a trip to the copy store, he replaced the bottle of port in the handle slot with a bottle of 1960 Amontillado.

_ Mû darling, you’ll never believe it, but my study is now complete! _

The Aries Saint raised an eyebrow,  _ this was worth interrupting my lunch for why? _

_ Because _ , Aphrodite settled onto the chair, pen in hand,  _ I’ve almost got this unencrypted, and perhaps then we can find some answers for what to do now.  _ He opened up both the Codex and his notes and set to work. Twenty minutes later and his mind reached out for Mû once more.  _ Does this look right to you? _

_ I believe so,  _ he replied skeptically.  _ I suppose we’ll see though. _

Aphrodite turned the page,  _ oh just what I always wanted, a table of contents in jibberish. _

Mû frowned,  _ are you always this asinine? _

_ Only when I’m annoyed and sober. Remarkable how often those coincide. _

_ Are you sure it is a table of contents?  _ The smith tilted his head.

_ The heading at the top, the first two entries and the last entry make it seem so. _

The Aries Saint closed his eyes as Aphrodite sent him the image of the page.  _ It makes sense, I suppose. The last entry would appear to be Shion-papa. He spent a good deal of time in the Palace of the Ram when I was little, I could give you permission to go in and see if some of his notes were in there? _

_ That would be a great asset. I’ll wait until nightfall though,  _ Aphrodite smiled and set aside his notes for the time being.  _ Until later then, though if you don’t hear from me in three days, assume I’m dead. _

_ Of course,  _ Mû’s dubious answer hung in the air as the telepathic link went silent.

That night, Aphrodite changed into something appropriately, if disgustingly drab, and set off down the hill. It was an easy enough time slipping down to the Palace of the Ram, most everyone preoccupied with their own evening pursuits. Dipping and darting through the shadows, he reached his destination.

_ Mû darling, I’m here. _

_ “Kiki get back here it’s time for your bath!”  _ Mû’s voice roared over the telepathic link.

Aphrodite winced at that, but waited, hidden between several pillars under the waxing moonlight.  _ Is everything alright? _

_ Kiki scampered out of the bathroom, and is playing hide and go seek. He’s supposed to be taking his bath before bed. _

_ My condolences, I just need you to let me in before you round him up. _

_ Very well, you may go in. Good luck Aphrodite. _

_ And to you _ .

As the link went quiet, the Pisces Saint found the door to the living quarters. He slipped inside, and once the door was shut, clicked on his flashlight. Even if Mû had fully moved out six months ago, the place still held traces of life. Across the dusty entrance hall, he saw the once cozy corridors of the living space, now cold and empty. He ventured inside, feet leaving a trail in the thin grey film on the floor. Aphrodite paused at the lines of photographs and charcoal sketches on the walls, all in neat frames. Most showed a man, hair a mess of curls, smiling and laughing with other people. One sketch with a young man in the Taurus Cloth, another featuring a young woman in Pisces.

An old style photograph drew his eye to pause, as he had seen it once on a nightstand in his summer home. The three individuals stood smiling and laughing, while tucked into the side of the woman, now showing some signs of age, was a boy, rumpled dark curls and a far too cocky smirk. “Papa,” he swallowed, “which makes this Pisces Demetria, and Taurus Teneo.” Aphrodite pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the frame clean. “And that makes you Aries Shion…”

He half expected the former Grand Master’s ghost to jump out at him after that statement. But nothing happened, and so he carried on down the hall. More photographs, and the Pisces Saint laughed to himself, his master’s words echoing in his ears.

_ “Oh come now Aphrodite, I was not born old, in fact I was quite the looker in my youth.” _

Aphrodite paused again at another photograph. He found Shion again, and his master, Pisces Aurelien. Beside them stood a young man and woman, in the Leo and Sagittarius Cloths respectively. “That would make you Leo Jacques and Sagittarius Genevieve…” and at their hip was a young teenager, mismatched eyes and long blond hair, and beside Aurelien another young boy, all warm smiles and dark curls. Between them stood a young girl, all smiles and excitement.

The curly haired boy didn’t take much effort for Aphrodite to recognize, make him an adult and slap a beard on him, “Cancer Dionisio, which makes you two Gemini Lew, and Scorpio Tryphosa.” Nearby he found another recreation of the photo in Gôrôhô, now with the three children grown and in their respective Cloths. He saw the grey streaks in the older trio’s hair. Shion as ever smiling for all he was worth, handsome even as they appeared to be celebrating his two-hundred twentieth birthday in the photo. He could also see Rôshi’s body and a strange blurry spot he assumed to be the man’s astral projection.

_ How goes the child wrangling, Mû? _

_ Finally done, _ came Mû’s reply, along with a sigh of relaxation.  _ How goes your investigation? _

_ I haven’t actually reached the study yet. I was wondering though if I could take a few of these photographs? To be returned when all of this is over and you may return to Sanctuary. _

_ I suppose there’s no harm in it,  _ Mû conceded,  _ but please be careful with them Aphrodite. _

_ Naturally.  _

_ Out of idle curio- “Kiki get down from there! I will levitate you down so help me!”  _ The sound of scuffling filled his ears before Mû returned.  _ Out of idle curiosity why do you want them? _

_ Half as a reminder of whom we’re doing this for, and half the albeit selfish reason that I only have one picture of my father. _

_ I see,  _ Mû’s calm understanding shattered with the sound of bath water splashing well beyond the confines of the tub.

_ I should probably let you finish up with that, gods’ speed. _

The Aries Saint required no further prompting as Aphrodite carefully took the pictures he wanted, wrapped them up, and set them in his bag. He resumed his quest down the hall to a closed door, neatly labeled ‘Shion’s Study’. It creaked open to reveal an old library, dustier than the hall outside, papers and books strewn about.

He skirted around the room, searching through budget and mission reports to find a large stack of papers labeled with “Gold Saint Apprentice Logs”. After slipping that and the budget reports into his bag, Aphrodite spotted an old spiral bound notebook with what appeared to be symbols written in long diagonal coils from right to left. Below it appeared to be some sort of phrase in Greek, and he held up his flashlight to it.

“To understand the end you must understand the beginning  
To understand the beginning, you must walk the path of the stars  
Find the path where it starts and ascend to the knowledge of the gods  
See with the eye that watches our days and you may read what is written in the stars”

_ Well that’s not cryptic at all,  _ Aphrodite rolled his eyes even as he slipped the notebook into the bag. He also took the files, and several of the operations reports. The Pisces Saint slipped out of the Palace of the Ram once more and ascended back up the hill. Once secure in his secret room, he set the bag aside and pulled out the “Gold Saint Apprentice Logs”.

The file slipped open with a touch, and the first page confused him. It was a list of names and languages according to the header in addition to dossiers on many of his fellow Gold Saints.

Aries Shion, Apprentice Mû - Atlantean  
Taurus - Ugaritic  
Gemini Lew, Apprentices Saga and Kanon - Etruscan and Ethiopic  
Cancer Dionisio, Apprentice Mephisto - Phonecian  
Leo Jacques, Apprentice Aiolia - Uralic  
Virgo - Sanskrit  
Libra Dohko - various Chinese languages  
Scorpio Tryphosa, Apprentice Milo - Akkadian  
Sagittarius Genevieve, Apprentice Aiolos - Arameic  
Capricorn - Mayan  
Aquarius - Sumerian  
Pisces Aurelien, Apprentice Aphrodite - Norse

Multiple things caught Aphrodite’s attention, from remembering at last Deathmask’s former name, to the fact that this list had apparently been crafted well before Shura, Aldebaran, Shaka, and Camus had become Gold Saints. But the one that stood out most of all was the fact there were two Gemini Saints listed as apprentices. He’d heard Saga had gone missing some time ago, which then begged the question of what happened to Kanon?

Not to mention what happened to their predecessors? He knew Dionisio had died in an earthquake some time ago in Sicily, and Aurelien had succumbed to his illness about the same time as Aiolos’s alleged betrayal. But the rest? Where were they? 

Now seemed hardly the time to worry about it, after all he had more things to read through. Budget requests seemed safe enough, bland, boring and unlikely to drop any bombshells on him. That was until he read through the first one, a request for increased funding to find and train an apprentice for Silver Saint Pictor Raphael, Head of the Catacombs, as well as art supplies such as paint and canvas.

Aphrodite set the budget report on his desk and slumped in his seat. They had catacombs? He knew about the graveyard, so why were there catacombs in addition to it? Not only that but where in Sanctuary could something such as catacombs even be hiding? Yes underground was the logical place but apart from the Hill of the Twelve Palaces and Star Hill, none of them were big enough to conceal catacombs large enough to encompass even a fraction of the fallen Saints. Also why would a painter be in charge of them? His head hurt, even as he picked up another of the random papers from the desk, a status report from the medical division. Medical?! Both physical and mental wellness centers by the look of the report.

As he set the paper down, the Pisces Saint covered a hand with his eyes. How much of Sanctuary’s inner workings had deteriorated since Shion and Aiolos had died? Aphrodite stood and stretched, in two days time it would be the Grand Master’s visit into town, then he’d do some more digging around, and with any luck find out about more about the catacombs and medical.


	4. To Absent Friends

“I trust you will take care of things in my absence for the next few days?” The Grand Master’s low voice echoed around the chamber.

Aphrodite bowed his head, “of course, Master.”

The Grand Master strode over and tipped his head up, and he could just make out what might pass for a smile under the perpetual shadows cast by the helmet. “Farewell then, little blossom. You are dismissed.”

It took everything he had not to run from the room, but one cold shower back at his palace later, and the Pisces Saint felt moderately more human. He changed into something presentable before descending to the chamber of conspiracy.

_ Mû, did you know we have catacombs? _

The answer came accompanied by the distant echoes of forge work.  _ I did vaguely, Shion-papa took me into them once. I remember how unsettling they were. _

_ How so?  _ Aphrodite tilted his head as he picked up the makeshift file on the catacombs.

_ It’s fuzzy, but I do recall something about ghosts and portraits lining the walls. It didn’t help that we went at night. Why do you ask? _

_ I’m going to find them, maybe I can get some more answers to this mystery there. _

Mû paused in his work as he thought back to the time he had gone down.  _ Take the Codex with you, I remember Shion-papa took it with him. Maybe it can help there as well. _

_ Very well, do you remember where the catacombs are? _

_ They should be beneath the Palace of the Grand Master and the Palace of Athena. Aren’t you taking a huge risk going down there?  _ He fretted for a moment.

Aphrodite shrugged as he studied the massive book.  _ Perhaps, but the Grand Master has ventured into town, and will likely be there a few days. Part of maintaining his guise as a good person I imagine. _

_ Just be careful, also bring a snack, the catacombs are a large place. _

The Pisces Saint smiled as he slipped in the dossier on the catacombs.  _ I shall, tell Kiki I said hello. _

_ I will, he’s been asking when you’re going to come visit.  _ Mû tilted his head,  _ which reminds me, Rôshi received a strange package full of children’s toys and books. Was that you? _

_ Consider it a thank you for your help before. Besides, everyone loves Moomin. I thought you might appreciate it. _

The Aries Saint scratched his head as he picked up one of the books off of Kiki’s play table in his forge.  _ Yes but I can’t read whatever these are in. _

_ Swedish, which I will be more than happy to teach you. _

_ Why do you speak Swedish? _

Aphrodite raised an eyebrow,  _ I am from Sweden originally. _

_ Very well, but I should let you go. Let me know what you find? _

_ Of course darling. _

The link went dead, and Aphrodite hesitated for a moment about whether or not to bring his Cloth on this adventure. On the one hand there could be danger in the catacombs, on the other there could be danger if he was caught in them. But better safe than sorry.

As he shouldered his Pandora box, the Pisces Saint also availed himself of several snacks and the Codex crammed into the largest duffel bag he had. He peered up at the eerie silence of the Grand Master’s palace. It was now or never.

Ascending to the palace, he dodged several guards before slipping through the doors. It felt rather like the part in a spy movie where the hero could be caught at any moment, rather exhilarating but so tense that it made every muscle clench uncomfortably. At the bottom of a short staircase down an unguarded hallway, he found the door the book had described. Larger than he was anticipating, Aphrodite opened the faded black door, and stepped into a surprisingly large rotunda.

Portraits leered down at him from the walls. He could see directly opposite of him a large one of a gorgeous young man in the Aries Cloth, who looked like he could be Mû’s father with his curly white hair and kind smile. Arrayed around that portrait were several portraits, most of whom he recognized from his foray into the Palace of the Ram some weeks prior, such as his father and mentor, Pisces Aurelien.

The two he didn’t drew his attention, namely Sagittarius and Gemini. Sagittarius appeared to be a teenage boy, all smiles and curls. He had fallen into the collective trap of assuming Aiolos’s appearance then. There seemed to be a consensus that the supposed traitor was a mid-to-late twenties man, all strong jaw and furrowed brow, when, no, this would be more accurate. The other portrait, featured two young men, an arm around each other, both clad in what he assumed was the Gemini Cloth. Both appeared to be in their twenties, which was logically impossible, according to the records, there was one Gemini, Saga, and he had gone missing trying to recover the Sagittarius Cloth.

“ _ WHO ARE YOU?! WHY ARE YOU HERE?! _ ”

For all the Codex had warned him of the basic functions of the catacombs, ambient voices screaming at him was not one of them. Still, if he had to fight some sort of guardian, then so be it. “My name is Pisces Aphrodite, my father was Pisces Aurelien, and I know that Aries Shion and Sagittarius Aiolos were unjustly murdered almost ten years ago. I’ve come to start restoring Sanctuary and the throne of Athena.”

“ _ YOU DECIDED TO STOP PLAYING LAPDOG TO THE USURPER? _ ” A cold, callous laugh, “ _ PROVE IT BOY! _ ”

“Six months ago, I found the Codex of the Grand Master, and I’ve been working with Rôshi and Aries Mû to decipher it.” The voice didn’t seem to be violent, and considering the catacombs were in the Palace of the Grand Master, he couldn’t blame their guardian for demanding proof of his loyalty. “The usurper bought my service by promising the one thing I couldn’t do on my own, but I cannot pay that price any longer. I will save the person who means the world to me by my own two hands, not because some cheap charlatan in tacky robes offers it to me.” He took a risk and opened his bag, withdrawing the massive book from it. “The Codex, as I said.”

Another laugh, this one fading from the air around him to a small alcove as it faded into wheezy coughs. An old man, bald and stooped on a cane ambled over to him. Aphrodite tilted his head in confusion as the man conjured a pair of stools, an easel, and a sketchpad. A sudden blow to the back of his knees dropped him onto one stool with an undignified huff. The man settled onto the other one and seized Aphrodite’s face in one gnarled hand.

“Hmm, nice cheekbones, you two have that in common, and the nose, too small, like a button. Dionisio, he had a nose,” the man muttered, as his free hand flew across the pad with a piece of charcoal. He paused and glanced back at the rough sketch of Aphrodite on the page. “Then again I suppose you aren’t here for your portrait. No one ever stops by since the usurper came along.”

“Yes, well I am still wondering what the purpose of this place is and by extension who you are.” The Pisces Saint frowned.

The man tilted his head for a moment, “Shion always said that book liked to taunt him,” another wheezy laugh, “I am Pictor Raphael of the Silver Saints, and I am the caretaker and master of the catacombs. These halls have stood since the Age of Myth for one purpose, to preserve the memory of the Saints and raise future generations.”

He frowned at Raphael’s statement, “and how exactly does an art gallery do that?”

“Thought you were reading the Codex boy, you tell me.” He gestured with his charcoal to the tome in Aphrodite’s lap.

As he opened the book, the pages automatically turned, revealing another text in ancient Greek, with a passage alongside in modern Greek.

‘After the first Holy War, the catacombs were established as a means of preserving the spirits of departed Saints and their collective wisdom for future generations. The duty of maintaining and updating the collection is given to the Pictor Saint, of the Silver Saints. They are able to bind the Cosmo of their subject into a portrait, which changes throughout the lifetime as the portrait reflects the knowledge and experiences of the Saint. Upon the death of the Saint, the Cosmo binding ritual finishes, and the subject of the portrait assumes their final form, what that Saint considers to be their peak physical and mental condition, while retaining a full lifetime of experience.

The Grand Master may use the Rite of Recollection to summon the portrait’s lingering will to the material plane once more, most easily done at night. This may also be performed by a Cancer Saint at any point, day or night, through their ability to commune with the dead. However only the Grand Master, in conjunction with the Cloth, may provide the Rite of Binding, during the nights of the full moon. During this time, the lingering will of a Saint may again occupy a physical form within the Cloth, most often for purposes of training. For the apprentice or newly instated Grand Master, it is recommended to start with either a Cancer Saint, or the Saint that bears their constellation.’

Aphrodite’s eyes widened as he read, then his attention turned over to the far side of the page, with the inscription in Ancient Greek. “So that must be the Rites of Summoning and Binding then…” his attention turned to Raphael, elated. “So with this, I could ask Shion and Aiolos what happened to them! And perhaps get some answers!” He beamed, “though I suppose I should start simpler… Especially since full moon isn’t until next week…” He paused, and watched as Raphael had seized one of the bags of trail mix from his duffel and tucked into it. It hadn’t even occurred to Aphrodite that the Pictor Saint had likely been living in hiding down here. He quietly pulled out the other bags and slid them over to the Pictor Saint’s stool.

“So boy, what did make you change your mind about playing lapdog?” Raphael asked between mouthfuls.

“I had some sense knocked into me, and I still have the scars to prove it.” The Pisces Saint chuckled. His eyes flicked around the rotunda, taking in the old portraits of the Silver and Bronze Saints. Off on one side, near the top, he spotted two portraits that confused him. They appeared to be Shura and Aldebaran, if they were children, both in Bronze Cloths. He could just make out the nameplate, sure enough it was Shura and Aldebaran, as Equuleus and Unicorn respectively. There was a story there he’d ask about at some point.

In the meantime, Aphrodite stood up and approached the large portrait of Shion. “Sorry book, but I need answers, and the sooner the better.” He turned the page and scanned through the Rite of Summoning. Book propped against the wall, he knelt down, hands clasped before him and recited the text in Ancient Greek. “Saint of Athena, long since granted peace in Elysium, hear now the will of the Goddess. I call you once more to walk in Sanctuary, that you may yet aid our Lady and the Saints who carry out Her will. I summon you, Aries Shion, return to the halls of Sanctuary.” His Cosmo burned as he read, and at the end it felt like something had reached out and hooked into his, leeching off it inch by inch.

“Oh, well, this is unexpected,” a new voice joined them overhead.

Aphrodite sprang to his feet, confronted now by the very man in the portrait before him. Only rather than clad in the Aries Cloth, he wore a red scarf, leggings and tunic. “It worked, praise Athena it worked.” The Pisces Saint almost bounced in delight. Over his shoulder he could see Raphael smiling as he continued his sketch study.

“I beg your pardon but where is Aiolos?” Shion said, returning the man to his task.

As he steeled himself for a long explanation, Aphrodite picked up the Codex. “Sagittarius Aiolos was unjustly branded a traitor and killed almost ten years ago. Someone killed you and took your place, Athena is missing, and this traitor sits now upon your throne, sullying your good name. Most of the older generation of Saints are either dead or missing, and the only ones aware of the situation are myself, Pictor Raphael, Rôshi, and Aries Mû.”

“I see,” Shion closed his eyes and considered, “I have several questions then. Such as a formal introduction and where you came by the Codex?”

“Of course,” he bowed, “my name is Pisces Aphrodite, my father was Pisces Aurelien, I’ve been master of the Palace of the Twin Fish for as long as you’ve been dead. I found the Codex six months ago in the library’s erotica and romance section. Since then Mû and I have been working to translate it to see if it could offer any hope of guidance. On top of all of that, most of us are barely trained, and I assume you know Athena is incarnate but missing, though Rôshi has told Mû and I she is safe for now, which means that according to what I have read so far a Holy war is coming.”

Shion held up a hand, “breathe, Aphrodite, it sounds as if you’ve had a lot on your mind.”

“Is it that obvious?”

He chuckled, “Raphael, I don’t suppose you could move the back door closer to the Palace of the Twin Fish.”

“Of course…” The old Silver Saint stood up and walked over to the wall, tapping several bricks near Shion’s portrait with his cane. “There, now you can come and go as you please pup.”

Even as he flounced at being called ‘pup’, Aphrodite thanked him as Shion strode along the Gold Saint portraits. “I suppose you’ll want information regarding what happened when I died yes?”

“It would be most appreciated.”

“I was on Star Hill, telling Mû a bedtime story telepathically, when Gemini Saga, or so I thought joined me. I sensed an evil Cosmo twisted around his own, and then he came at me with a knife, the evil Cosmo releasing a paralytic miasma without my realizing it.”

“So it was Saga…”

“I could have told you that much boy,” Raphael gestured with the cane to the portrait of the twins. "If they were dead the portrait would be active and not age anymore."  


“But the evil Cosmo then… Do you think he was being possessed?”

“It is possible, but there are any number of entities sealed just within the areas around Sanctuary. How Saga came into contact with one is and why is another mystery altogether.” Shion tilted his head, thinking carefully, “for now continue on with the Codex, given this stranger in Saga’s body, I don’t recommend catacomb training. How often does he leave Sanctuary?”

“Only for a few days to go to Rodorio, to keep up appearances I suppose. And even then it seems completely random when he does.” Aphrodite replied, a little disappointed that ‘carry on’ seemed to be the best answer.

Shion smiled, “do you have any way to contact the Gold Saints of Aurelien’s generation?”

“Not re- Milo! Oh shit I stood him up for this. Shit.”

Raphael rolled his eyes, “focus lad. Shion asked you a question.”

“Right, Milo I believe may know something about Scorpio Tryphosa but it's a long shot.”

“Good, start there. One last thing, do you mind telling me what happened with Pisces Aurelien?” Shion motioned for Aphrodite to sit with him on the floor.

The Pisces Saint reluctantly nodded,”very well. Six months before he died, Master Aurelien had gone to investigate something in the fjords… When he came home, it was like the fire inside him had just died. He kept talking to people who weren’t there, and when he did it was like they were saying horrible things to him. His health went downhill fast after that… Coughing fits, seizures, the delusions… And one day he said I was ready for my trial, even though I’d only conjured Bloody Rose the week before when training on my own.” He bowed his head, “after three days out on the fjord, I found the Cloth and came home. He said he was proud of me before arguing with the delusions. He went to sleep, and I tried to give him his medicine but he wouldn’t move. I fell asleep somewhere after that… But when I woke up he was…” A faint, hiccupping sob went through him.

“Thank you Aphrodite, I realize that can’t have been easy to tell. I think we better call it a night. Now, if you feel up for it, I want you to try and contact Mû just before you fall asleep, the Codex should be able to give you more details. If you can manage to do some dream training together then that should help.” Shion reached out, not quite running a hand down his mascara stained cheek.

“Of course.”

As Shion’s spirit detached from Aphrodite’s Cosmo, he gave one last instruction, “tell Mû I love him and I am sorry.”

The Pisces Saint nodded as the last bits of the former Grand Master disappeared. Raphael stretched, “not bad, pup. But I think it’s time I got some shut eye.”

“Of course, I’ll bring you some supplies tomorrow.”

Raphael grinned, “I’ll hold you to that boy. Now get out of here.” He hooked his cane in a brick and pulled the portrait of Shion out to reveal a hidden door.

“Thank you, Pictor Raphael,” Aphrodite stood and packed the Codex away.

“Don’t thank me just yet,” the old man laughed as he closed the door behind Aphrodite.


	5. Dream Country

The door slid closed, and Aphrodite made his way back towards his own palace. He ducked out of the shadows and made his way through the wisteria trellises. It surprised him that the secret door had dropped him out here, but then it really shouldn’t have in hindsight. Shion and Raphael would have been old enough to remember Aurelien, and known his penchant for the plant.

“Oh Papa,” he ran a hand along the thick vines, “I wonder if you would be strong enough to confront the situation head-on rather than skulking around like a coward.”

“Fuck you Dite! Answer me!”

Aphrodite froze before running around to the front of his home. Standing in the foyer was Scorpio Milo, a can of spray paint in hand, clad in his favorite close cut shorts and an oversized tie dye shirt. In one hand, he saw the other Saint held a spray paint can, which he shook absently.  “Milo, it’s two in the morning what are you doing here?”

“Don’t you ‘Milo’ me!” The other Gold Saint rounded on him. “That’s the fourth time, the fourth time in a row you’ve stood me up! I thought we were friends Dite!” He took Aphrodite’s tank top in hand and dragged him down to look at him. The Pisces Saint could smell the alcohol on his friend’s breath. “I thought you cared! I thought- I thought you wouldn’t up and leave me! Especially when I just got back from a mission!” He pressed his head into Aphrodite’s shoulder slowly winding his limbs around his friend as the paint can clattered to the floor.

“Oh Milo…” Aphrodite sighed as he hefted the Scorpio Saint into his arms, now faced with a decision. He’d been neglecting his friendship with Milo, half because he didn’t know if he could trust the other Saint, and half to try and keep him safe in case this conspiracy got him killed. “Let’s get you inside and cleaned up.” It was a risk, but Milo had been one of his best friends since arriving in Sanctuary, if anyone was worth the risk, it was him.

Milo leaned on him as they made their way back into the living quarters. The moonlight caught in the stained glass skylights to create an eerily beautiful rainbow in the dark hallway. “Five hours, Dite… Don’t say you forgot, you were never going to come, were you… Lately it’s like when we make plans, you abandon me. I’ve finally lost you Dite…”

Aphrodite settled onto the loveseat in his living room, Milo curled tightly against him, sobbing weakly. The Scorpio Saint reached around to his back pocket and withdrew a flask of bourbon and took a swig. “I’m sorry Milo,” Aphrodite whispered, running his hand through his friend’s wild honey gold curls. “I’ve been cruel and selfish and shut you out. That was unkind of me.”

“You think?” Milo huffed bitterly. “How many times will you say that before you finally mean it?”

“I mean it, Milo, you’re one of my closest friends, you never stopped believing in me, even when I did.” He reassured, recalling back when he had been under the influence. Milo had still tried to reach him then, to be his friend, even as he pulled away in his own misguided quest for power.

For his part, the Scorpio Saint sat up and kissed him, hard. Aphrodite’s breath caught as his friend’s tongue sought entrance, the harsh smell of bourbon thick on Milo’s breath. Still, his lips parted and his fingers tangled in the messy spill of curls. His own hair was unbound from its loose ponytail and fluffed. The kiss fluctuated between sweetly tempting and furiously dominant. Milo rolled his hips slowly and Aphrodite moaned low in the back of his throat. The kiss broke, with Milo kissing his way down the Pisces Saint’s neck.

“How much have you had to drink?” He asked.

The other man didn’t respond, opting to nip at Aphrodite’s jaw, though he guessed the answer was ‘too much’. Milo’s mouth drifted to the base of the Pisces Saint’s neck and sucked a mark into it, normally Aphrodite would protest, but with Milo, he found he didn’t mind. Besides he picked up a cute scarf recently and had been looking for an excuse to wear it. “We should get you cleaned up and get some rest.”

“But what if I want this?” The Scorpio Saint pouted into his friend’s shoulder.

“What if you get whisky dick?” Aphrodite retorted. “Come on,” he stood once more, Milo again in his arms, “we can resume this in the morning after we’ve both had some rest.”

“Promise?” He muttered, even as he yawned.

“Of course I do, now come along,” he nosed Milo’s cheek and carried him into the bedroom. 

Aphrodite set him on the bed, watching as the Scorpio Saint discarded his shorts, leaving him in the deep red lace thong that they’d picked up on their last shopping trip. He ducked into the bathroom and found his brush, settling in wordlessly behind his friend and brushing his hair before braiding it to sleep in. As Aphrodite finished and set to work on his own, he watched as the younger Saint burrowed under the covers and drifted off to sleep.

He flared his Cosmo and could just make out the faint black tendrils of something clinging onto Milo. It was the same thing that had hooked into him, though vastly smaller. Small enough that perhaps he could pluck it out without alerting the Grand Master to it. Concentrating his Cosmo onto his fingertips, Aphrodite seized the inky tendrils, and used lightspeed through his home to the wine cellar. He tossed the tendrils to the floor and chucked a Piranha Rose into it. The tendrils died with a squelch, as the rose itself seemed drained of life. That would be something to talk about with Mû later.

The Pisces Saint returned to the bedroom, stripping out of his clothes and washing his face before bed. He found Milo struggling out of his shirt in a cold sweat, groping weakly for Aphrodite. He settled in beside his friend, the other Gold Saint once again winding his way around him like an octopus. Smiling slightly as the Scorpio Saint settled, Aphrodite drifted off to some much needed rest.

_ He clung to his Moomin doll as a gentle, wrinkled hand squeezed his. “Are you scared, my little blossom?” _

_ His eyes met those of the old man’s, tears welling in them. “Y-Yes.” The sound of the train grew closer to the platform, a rumbling wyrm of steel and smoke. _

_ Aurelien knelt down beside him, thick grey waves of hair framing his face. “Don’t be,” he reassured, face crinkling into a well worn smile. “My little blossom,” he pressed a calloused hand to his shoulder, “you will find your way to the sun with time. And I shall be here for you, always.” As the brakes on the train hissed, steam filled the air between them, and in that instant Aurelien was gone. _

_ “Papa? Papa!” _

“Aphrodite?” A voice reached him through the haze as Mû appeared.

“Oh,” the Pisces Saint stood up, scrubbing furiously at his eyes. “Mû what are you doing here? Where are we?”

“Inside your dreams, I tried to get ahold of you before I went to sleep, but you were somewhere just outside my reach.” He offered out a handkerchief, “Rôshi suggested I try to contact you to see how your quest went.”

“Ah,” he laughed and wiped his face off, “well my mission was some sort of resounding success. And for the record Mû, about your father, all I have to say is damn.” The trademark flirty smirk crossed Aphrodite’s face.

Mû’s face in turn scrunched in horror, “Aphrodite that’s my papa you’re talking about!”

“I know, I know, but damn.” He nodded approvingly.

The Aries Saint huffed, “if all you have to do is make lewd implications about Shion-papa I’m leaving.”

That sobered the man, “I did actually learn a lot from my visit to the catacombs,” and with that he recounted his adventure earlier. “The last message Master Shion gave me before we broke the connection was this,” he pulled Mû into a tight hug, cradling his head to his chest, “I love you Mû and I’m sorry."

He returned the gesture, burying his face in Aphrodite’s chest, “thank you.”

“Of course, though there was one other thing,” the Pisces Saint drew back. “Before I went to sleep, I removed the toxic influence from Milo.”

“You did what?!”

“It was only a small amount, so I doubt the imposter will notice, I believe Milo could be a huge boon to us.”

Mû considered for a few moments, “if you are certain. You know the situation in Sanctuary better than I. And Milo seems to know something about everyone.”

“Milo is a ray of sunshine in this world and I will defend his honor to the death if I must.”

That made the Aries Saint laugh even as Aphrodite flounced. “Well then, I shall trust your judgment. Now, shall we try some training?” He tilted his head as the Aries Cloth appeared on him.

The Pisces Saint smiled as his own Cloth emerged, “naturally.”

Mû took his leave some time after to awaken and start breakfast for Kiki, leaving Aphrodite to drift through his dreams, unsettling as they were, in peace. The Pisces Saint awoke around the crack of noon to Milo curled against him. He propped himself on one elbow and leaned over, kissing along the exposed line of Milo’s neck and shoulder.

“Mmmm, Dite,” the Scorpio Saint mumbled, head cocked to allow him more access.

“Time to wake up Milo,” Aphrodite cooed, nibbling along golden, tawny skin. 

He opened and closed his mouth twice and wrinkled his nose, “tastes like something died on my tongue.”

“Oh Milo,” he smiled and pressed a kiss to his friend’s temple before sauntering from bed, unabashedly nude. As the Pisces Saint returned carrying a glass of water and some medicine for the headache Milo was undoubtedly sporting, he found said man’s gaze watching him appreciatively. “Here you are, I’ll get you a toothbrush for when you’re ready.”

“Of course,” he smiled.

Aphrodite winked, “you’re more than welcome.”

As the two finished their morning ablutions, Aphrodite returned to his bed, withdrawing a box of condoms and lubricant from the nightstand. He also pulled a towel out from the storage tub under his bed and unfurled it over the sheets. He reclined on it, just able to admire Milo in the bathroom. The Scorpio Saint must have caught him looking, as he hastened to finish up and rejoined the young man.

“Are you alright Milo?”

“Yes, we’re still going through with this yes?” He smiled and sat down on the bed next to Aphrodite. “Though I suppose we should talk about this? I mean I know we’re both clean from when we went to the clinic two months ago, unless you’ve been with someone since then?”

“No,” the Pisces Saint shook his head, “still clean as a whistle to my knowledge. Have you done this before?”

“No,” Milo reclined down beside him, pressing a faintly trembling hand on Aphrodite’s hip, “be gentle with me.”

“Of course, my darling Milo.” With that, he gently pushed the Scorpio Saint to lie on his back, biting and sucking his way down the young man’s neck and chest. 

He grinned against his friend’s skin, teasing at a nipple with his tongue. Milo’s fingers carded through the pale gold curls, tugging in encouragement as he let out a faint moan. Aphrodite pressed a thigh between his friend’s legs before continuing downwards to bite along the inside of his hips and thighs. In a move that was at least some form of revenge for earlier, the Pisces Saint sucked a mark just below where hip and thigh joined, hair teasing Milo’s cock through the thin fabric of his underwear.

As his back arched, Aphrodite took the opportunity to remove the Scorpio Saint’s underwear. He ran a finger along the hot, thin skin, listening to Milo moan, voice cracked and needy. “That’s, that’s good,” his gaze met the Pisces Saint.

“I’m glad,” he grinned and pressed feather light kisses along his shaft, before sucking on the head.

Milo’s back arched again and the hand curled in his friend’s hair tightened. Aphrodite smirked and slowly lowered his mouth down, torturously bobbing up and down. It didn’t take much effort for them to fall into a rhythm this way.

“D-Dite please, I-I,” the Scorpio Saint managed before he came, relaxed against the pillows as he caught his breath.

The Pisces Saint leaned over to the nightstand as he swallowed, taking up a tissue to ensure he didn’t have any fluid on his face. Milo reached out for him, and he obliged, letting the shorter man curl against him. “Good?”

“V-Very,” Milo smiled as he reached a hand down between them, taking Aphrodite in hand. “Your turn now yes?”

“Mmm,” he hummed in approval before the Scorpio Saint kissed him hard, tongue sliding along his. His hips rolled in time with Milo’s hand, moaning shamelessly against his mouth. Aphrodite tensed and came with a wordless scream. He panted and nuzzled against his lover’s mouth. However before he could suggest either of them burn any Cosmo to sustain this, both of them felt their stomachs rumble.

Aphrodite threw a hand over his eyes, “and thus the mood is ruined.”

Milo laughed, “we can always resume later. Unless this was just a one time arrangement?” He asked, laughter falling into hopeful silence.

“I would be alright with dating you, but we should probably talk about some things first.” He replied. He was rather fond of Milo and if this conspiracy got him killed, the Pisces Saint would never forgive himself for it.

“Right,” he leaned over to the nightstand to grab a tissue and wipe his hand off. “How do you feel about Camus?”

“Most of what I know about him is from you,” Aphrodite reminded as they sat up. “The few times I’ve seen him in Sanctuary he’s seemed pleasant enough. Certainly handsome enough. If you’re asking for a relationship with both of us, I would be amenable, with one caveat.” He paused, “how do you feel about Mephisto?”

“Who?”

“Deathmask,” he stood and strode over to his dresser, withdrawing them some comfortable loungewear.

Milo caught the pajama pants and slipped them on. “I thought we agreed you were never going to sleep with him.”

Aphrodite’s shoulders slumped as he pulled on a spaghetti strap tank top, “I know. But he wasn’t always like that you know.”

“You’ve been reading too many terrible romance novels again,” the Scorpio Saint stood and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “Please tell me you don’t have some idea in your head that you can save him using the ‘power of true love’ or whatever. It doesn’t work like that.”

“I know that, but his personality changed far too abruptly and far too removed from any sort of traumatic event to be natural. It literally happened overnight.” He replied as they made their way from the bedroom, “but falling down that rabbit hole requires me to ask one more question,” the Pisces Saint paused in the hallway, outside the door to his wine cellar. “Care to join me for a bottle of wine?”

Milo smiled, albeit a worried one, “I’m not sure what I should be more concerned by, your sudden interest in day drinking, or the fact you said that in a way that makes me worried you have a dead body buried in here.” He shrugged and gestured to the door, “but lead on.” They descended into the wine cellar, candles flickering to life with a brush of Cosmo. Inside, Milo frowned at what appeared to be a withered Piranha rose embedded in a scorched portion of floor. “You don’t seriously have a dead body in here do you? I thought we agreed to talk about it before you killed them if you needed help hiding it.”

“Milo, be a dear and grab the 1960 on the third shelf over there.” Aphrodite withdrew the rose from the stone.

The Scorpio Saint obliged but frowned when the bottle refused to move. He pulled on it and the shelf next to him slid open. Cautiously, Milo peered inside the room, the candelabra came to life as they entered. “What is all of this? Aphrodite?” He turned as the Pisces Saint closed the door behind him. He felt the hackles on the base of his neck rise as some sort of ward activated around them before Aphrodite carefully perched at the desk with a massive book, notes strewn about.

“Milo, what I’m about to tell you will in all likelihood shake your belief in the foundations of Sanctuary,” he twirled a lock of hair, fidgeting, “it began six months ago, when I was assigned to track down and kill the alleged traitor Aries Mû…” As he explained, the Scorpio Saint grew increasingly horrified. “Which brings us to last night, thanks to the Grand Master’s absence, I was able to go to the catacombs and make contact with the real Aries Shion. I’m sorry about dragging you through all of this, Milo.”

He studied his friend in the flickering light, Aphrodite looked exhausted and nervous, two things Milo never expected to see on him. He crossed the room and cupped the Pisces Saint’s cheeks. “I wish you had come to me sooner about this,” he pressed a kiss to his mouth, “but it’s too fantastic of a story to be made up. Besides if you were lying you would look far more confident about it.”

“Thank you,” Aphrodite buried his face in the other man’s stomach, hugging him tightly.

The Scorpio Saint grinned, “so what can I do to help?”

Aphrodite stood up, “is your master, Scorpio Tryphosa, still alive?”

“Yes, I talked to her just last week. Why?”

“He’s been sending assassins for some time now after most of the retired Saints or other teachers. I’m amazed he hasn’t called for Rôshi’s head yet. But most of us are only half trained,” he tapped his latest part of the translation project, “there are techniques in here I never even dreamed of. Dream sharing, sense sharing, just to name a couple. We’ll need all the help we can get, and moreover given how close I am to the false Grand Master, sneaking away from Sanctuary on a whim is difficult sometimes. And he’s been suspicious of you for a while now.”

“Me?” Milo blinked, “how?”

“Too smart, too sensible, you’ll question a situation rather than follow blindly.” Aphrodite smiled, “ironically two of the traits I value most about you.”

The Scorpio Saint blushed, “so, you want me to call Mama and see if she knows if any of her friends are still alive?”

“Yes, or better yet, we’ll go meet her in person. If she’s got these psychic leeches on her too then we’ll have to remove them ourselves, since at a guess they are only visible to those who lack them.” He clasped the younger man’s hands and beamed, “it’ll be great.”

“Right!” He beamed, “you wouldn’t happen to have a phone down here would you?”

Aphrodite concentrated, “I do now.”

Sure enough on the corner was the phone from his bedroom. Milo picked up and dialed quickly. The five beeps were the longest of his life, worrying that these assassins had gotten the best of here.

“Hullo?” A very groggy woman’s voice came over the phone.

“Mama?” The Scorpio Saint perked, trying to ignore Aphrodite draping atop him.

“Kiddo? The hell you doing calling this early?”

“Sorry, Mama, I just wanted to ask two quick questions. Are we still on for lunch next week?”

“Yeah.”

“And may I bring my new boyfriend with me?”

“Sure. Can I go back to bed?

“Of course, love you Mama.”

“Love you too, kiddo,” the line went dead.

Milo turned in Aphrodite’s arms after he hung up the phone. “Mama retired to the Bahamas, and I forgot about time zones, again.”

“That’s alright, the point is she’s alive.” The Pisces Saint kissed him, “so, my sweet new boyfriend, breakfast, shower and then back to unfinished business?”

“Yes,” he smiled, and nuzzled against his boyfriend’s neck.


	6. Prelude of Liberation

A week later saw Aphrodite bustling around his kitchen, Milo still asleep. He had the coffee bubbling away, along with some light breakfast. His boyfriend had warned him that his usual meeting spot with his master provided more than ample food. Which was fine, given that both of them were still growing. A fact which made the Pisces Saint pause to rub at one aching knee cap, growth spurts were the worst, being a plant would be so much easier.

  
Still with breakfast ready to go, he opened the door to his bedroom. Milo had sprawled out over his bed, gloriously naked. Aphrodite walked to the tape deck in the corner and slipped in a mixtape he had been saving for today. The music filled the room as the Pisces Saint brought in breakfast and set it on the side table.

  
“Milo darling, time to wake up again.” He cooed, fluttering light kisses over his neck and shoulders.

  
The Scorpio Saint buried his face in the pale, golden curls, “mmm, hi Dite. Coffee?”

  
“Right here, one sugar and cream,” he smiled and sat back up. “Also, happy birthday.”

  
He chuckled as he sat up and stretched, kissing Aphrodite on the cheek. “You’re going to spoil me, bringing me breakfast in bed after ravishing me?”

  
“Well it is a rather special birthday after all, for today is the day I pass along my crown.” The Pisces Saint straightened up, and pressed a solemn hand to his boyfriend’s shoulder, “Scorpio Milo, today, I give you the title I have guarded jealously for the last two years, waiting until you came of age to inherit it. By the power vested in me, I bequeath you the title, Dancing Queen.”

  
“Ooh bequeathing? How fancy!” Milo laughed and kissed him.

  
“This is very serious,” Aphrodite pouted as they drew back.

  
“No, what’s serious is the fact you seem to forget Akkadian uses an infix to construct the perfect tense. Also your cuneiform is atrocious and you should be ashamed of yourself for making me read it.” The Scorpio Saint picked up the stack of notes on the bedside table. They had been going over them before going to bed, however tipsy linguistics was never a good idea. Or as Milo had put it, don’t drink and decline.

  
Aphrodite laughed, “well, it’s fortunate I have such a handsome teacher, I might just be able to keep my focus with you guiding me.”

  
“So then, this passage, this is from the early founding of Sanctuary yes?”

  
“As near as I can tell.” The Pisces Saint picked up his coffee and considered the passage, “which chronologically makes no sense with the archaeological evidence of when it should be founded.”

  
“Aphrodite, you’re trying to apply science and logic to the gods.” Milo laughed and picked up one of the pastries. “Besides, this passage keeps making reference to the mythical city of Atlantis.”

  
“Mû’s Atlantean, Tibetan by cultural upbringing but the village of Jamil was the last known home of the Atlantean bloodline on Earth.”

  
“How do you know that?” His boyfriend raised a skeptical eyebrow.

  
“I asked, and you’re more than welcome to verify.” Aphrodite smiled, “Mû and I have come to be at least some degree of friend, at least from my perspective.”

  
Milo chuckled as he finished swallowing, “how is Mû?”

  
“Living with a toddler and trying his best as a hermit.” He tapped his chin, “I should send him another care package. I’ll pick them up something after lunch!”

  
“Speaking of lunch, or I suppose dinner in our case,” the Scorpio Saint paused, hesitating into his cup, “I should tell you, don’t bring up anything about the Cancer Saints. Mama gets depressed and shuts down.”

  
“Of course, consider the topic avoided.”

  
“Now with that settled we should get going, and remember to dress for spring in the tropics.” Milo winked and sprang out of bed.

  
Aphrodite stretched and followed him into the bathroom, “you still haven’t told me where we’re going.”

  
“I want it to be a surprise, now come on!” He tugged his boyfriend towards the shower with a cheeky grin. “Let’s see if we can’t fix that atrocious cuneiform of yours before we go.

  
That evening saw them at the foot of the hill, Aphrodite had finished applying the last of his sunscreen. He knew for a fact his cool white skin would burn badly in the tropical heat, and then freckle in strange ways. Which given that he was in a crop top and short shorts with his hair pulled back, meant a lot of sunscreen. He slipped the tube back into Milo’s bag, “shall we?”

  
Milo, dressed in something slightly less revealing, nodded. “Do lets.”

  
With that the Scorpio Saint whisked them away, elbows linked, and took the lead with their jump. As they arrived an instant later, Aphrodite raised an eyebrow, “where are we?” He tilted his head.

  
“A few kilometers from São Paolo, Brazil,” Milo explained as he guided them into the crowd from the back alley they had arrived in. “This way!” He took his boyfriend’s hand and guided him through the throngs of people.

  
Most of the crowd seemed to be migrating towards a moderately sized stadium at the end of the street, chanting and waving banners. Off to one side near a store front Milo waved. A woman leaned against the corner of a building, adjusting her sunglasses. Her short dark hair was styled in a pompadour, and Aphrodite could see a scorpion tattoo along her golden brown skin, the inked arachnid climbing along her left arm and shoulder. As they drew closer he saw a few flecks of grey hair, also that retirement had not dulled her physique in the least, judging by her shoulders and arms alone. The woman stood and dusted off her short, red sundress and returned Milo’s gesture.

  
“Mama!” He pulled her into a hug, which she returned enthusiastically.

  
“Hey lil stinger,” she greeted as they drew back, clapping him on the arm. “You’re taller than I remember.”

  
“Mama you saw me last month,” Milo pouted slightly.

  
“So?” She grinned and Aphrodite recognized the same playful expression that frequently adorned Milo’s face. “You gonna introduce me or not?”

  
“Oh right!” He beamed, “I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Pisces Aphrodite, Dite, this is my mother, Scorpio Tryphosa.”

  
The Pisces Saint bowed, “a pleasure. I’ve heard the stories, and it’s an honor to meet you.”

  
Tryphosa laughed briefly, “I shudder. If you’re Aurelien’s then my reputation’s gone before it’s started.”

  
“Well, the lion’s share came from Milo, so I doubt you’ve anything to worry about.” He smiled. “I love your tattoo, was that Orfeo’s handiwork?”

  
“Yes, used to be a good friend of ou- mine…” She trailed off.

  
“Ah, well I thought I recognized the craftsmanship,” the Pisces Saint gestured to the crimson rose etched along his side and ribs. Milo hadn’t warned him against bringing up any of Tryphosa’s friends. However the brief lull offered him the chance to flare his Cosmo just enough to see the inky black mass on hers. It was larger than on Milo’s, though smaller than the one on his had been. He smiled cheerfully, trying to lighten the conversation once more. “We’re taking Milo later, I think he wanted to ask if you would sign the waivers.”

  
“Oh lil stinger,” she shook her head fondly. “Where did he wander off to?”

  
Milo however had drifted away from the conversation, distracted by someone in the crowd. A young man, broad shouldered and dressed the same as the others in the crowd, namely jersey and shorts, was making his way along the street towards the stadium. “Aldebaran! Over here!”

  
“Milo? What are you doing here?” Aldebaran paused and shepherded him out of the crowd to the side of the street. They stopped next to Tryphosa and Aphrodite, though both with their backs to the younger Saints. The Taurus Saint’s dark hair had been tied back with a colorful set of ribbons, and someone had painted his russet cheeks in the same colors.

  
“Meeting my mother for lunch dinner for my birthday.” He beamed, “I take it it’s game day?”

  
“Course it is!” Aldebaran clapped him on the shoulder.

  
“We’ll likely still be here,” Milo jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the restaurant, “once the match lets out, if you wanted to join us for desert. I’d love for you to meet my mother. Besides, birthdays should be celebrated with friends.”

  
He nodded, “sounds like a plan, I should get going though.”

  
“Of course! Have fun! I hope you kick their asses!” The Scorpio Saint waved him off. As he watched Aldebaran walk away, his own Cosmo flickered enough to also see the small lump clinging to his friend’s. Given that it was the first he had seen, Milo wasn’t entirely sure what needed doing, if it was comparatively small or large.

  
“C’mon lil stinger,” Tryphosa guided him towards the restaurant, shepherding him out of his thoughts. “Food’s this way for when you want it.”

  
“I know, I just saw someone else, our Taurus Saint. I don’t think you’ve had the chance to meet Aldebaran yet,” he smiled innocently, while tipping Aphrodite off to the situation.

  
_Aldebaran is here_? The Pisces Saint tensed as they made their way through the door into the restaurant.

  
_Yes, this was about the size of the mass on his Cosmo_ , Milo was still getting used to the more intricate telepathic skills, but memory sharing had come easily.

  
Aphrodite let out an internal sigh of relief. _That’s even smaller than yours. Where did he wander off to?_

  
_Football match I assume_. He shrugged as they sat down. _I invited him to join us after the match let out. How is Mama?_ His eyes flickered nervously to her back as they made their way to the tables to be seated.

  
_Larger than I was hoping but hopefully still manageable. With any luck we can strip it without tipping off the usurper_. Aphrodite closed his eyes when he sat down, “now, what exactly does this place serve?” He looked around hopefully for a menu.

  
“Churrasco,” Tryphosa explained, “grilled meat on skewers. Took Milo here to celebrate his full recovery from surgery and formal adoption, and every birthday after. Everything you want and some you probably didn’t know you wanted.”

  
“I recommend the chicken hearts!” The younger Scorpio Saint grinned.

  
He wrinkled his nose a little but maintained composure, “well it is just a muscle I suppose.” The waiter came to take their drink orders, and the Pisces Saint wrestled briefly with the idea of eating a heart before deciding to give it a try. Now to finally stop worrying about conspiracies and chicken hearts, “Master Tryphosa-”

  
“Just Tryphosa-” she waved him off, “retired and can’t seem to keep around any of the Bronzes or Silvers they keep sending me.”

  
“Ah I was wondering if I could pester you for some stories about my father. Though, you mentioned you were having trouble with the Bronzes and Silvers?” He smiled as their drinks arrived.

  
The woman picked up her beer and nodded, “yeah. They send me a group for training, and all of them seem to have it in their heads that just cause I’m retired, I’m no Gold Saint, so these kids think getting the drop on me is the best road to take. Well after getting that mistake cleared up, they run off with no explanation. Then a couple months later, a completely different group shows up and tries the same thing.” She sighed and took a swig, “been meaning to call Shion ‘bout it but never got around to it.”

  
“Ah, I see,” Aphrodite offered the calm, understanding smile that had become his mask over the last six months. He picked up his cocktail and realized he did have a question, “I noticed in many of your pictures, neither you nor Master Genevieve wear a mask.”

  
She nodded, “by the time I came along, Genevieve and Pisces Demetria had almost gotten Shion to, if not abolish the idea, then at least slacken it to where we were only wearing it for official business or missions. Even then he only really required it if we had business that took us into the presence of the Lady at say the Olive Tree or the Parliament.” Tryphosa chuckled, “the Parliament always caused Dio and Lew-” she stopped and shook her head vigorously before rubbing it with one hand. She slammed the rest of her beer, waving the glass at the waiter for another. After a minute of deep breathing, she smiled, “sorry, headache, what were we talking about?”

  
Before Aphrodite could comment on what the hell just happened, Milo interjected, “you were telling us how your surfing lessons were going!”

  
“Right,” as the retired Gold Saint proceeded to describe her surfing lessons as though it had been the topic the entire time.

  
The Pisces Saint reached out to wrap his boyfriend in a telepathic hug. _Does that happen often?_

  
_Yes. And it’s only gotten worse as the years have gone…_ he fidgeted, and Aphrodite reached under the table to squeeze his leg. _But, for the first time since she left me the Cloth I can do something about it. I have to._

  
_I take it she wasn’t always a depressive borderline alcoholic then?_

  
_Mama was the best, but… Well I suppose I should tell you. Mama had a bit of a crush on Cancer Dionisio, one day after he died, she just fell apart. Three day drinking binge and a Cloth trial later, and she left me at ten… Now that I think about it though… Before she had started that binge, she had been to see the Grand Master, asking to take over Death- I mean Mephisto’s training and care until he could take his trial. There’s probably more to it but I think that’s when he got his hooks in her_. Milo’s anger seethed over the link.

  
“You alright Milo? You’ve been awful quiet.” Tryphosa snapped them out of the conversation, “looks like they’re about to start bringing food around.”

  
“Yes, sorry Mama, growing pains are the worst.” He laughed it off. “Now food! I’m starving!” Sure enough, a metal skewer laden with the fabled chicken hearts was brought to the table and offered about. With no small degree of trepidation, Aphrodite took one and stared at it. Milo raised an eyebrow, “why are you hesitating? You eat fish pickled with lye!”

  
“That’s different,” the Pisces Saint protested.

  
“How?” Milo stared at his boyfriend skeptically.

  
“Because of reasons.” He flicked his ponytail.

  
“Come on,” Tryphosa gestured to the heart, “if Aurelien could get me to eat snails, you can eat a heart.”

  
Aphrodite froze, a memory resurfacing of a small garden in Sicily. He had been helping with the weeding, gently encouraging the weeds to find a better home as only a five-year-old could. A snail had inched out of the tomato patch and he paused to watch, given that snails were essentially non-existent in Greenland and Sweden. Aurelien had leaned over and said it looked tasty. Which, while obviously a joke about escargot in hindsight, had terrified him to the dish. He’d run off to the other side of the garden and hugged the man carefully pruning the basil. He remembered he smelled of herbs and fire, and his stubble had scratched Aphrodite’s cheek. He still couldn’t quite remember what Cancer Dionisio looked like, but he was starting to recall what he felt like. He was warm hugs and fresh baked bread first thing in the morning. Of song, comedic opera at full force with Mephisto singing along enthusiastically, crafting art in his kitchen. He was all smiles and joy, even at Mephisto’s declaration to be Aphrodite’s wife.

  
“Dite, yoo hoo,” a snap in front of his face broke his concentration, “you in there?” Milo raised an eyebrow.

  
“Ah, terribly sorry, climate must be getting to me.” He smiled, fluttering a hand to fan himself briefly.

  
“You going to eat it or not kid?” Tryphosa gestured to the chicken heart still on his plate.

  
Aphrodite nodded and popped it into his mouth. Fortunately, the rest of the meal was of far less surprising fare, mostly various other cuts of meats, culminating in grilled pineapple with a simple syrup glaze. Milo’s eyes flicked back to the third glass of beer Tryphosa finished off before they paid. The Pisces Saint squeezed his leg.

  
“How about a walk? I would love to see what I can make for a new project in the greenhouse.” He beamed as they departed the restaurant. _With any luck we can find a spot to pry that influence parasite from her Cosmo?_

  
_Are you certain that won’t tip anyone off?_ Milo frowned as they made their way across the street.

  
He shook his head slightly. _No clue. Hopefully being so far away from Sanctuary will afford us the opportunity. Considering I was in Gôrôhô when my own was removed, maybe the imposter has no way of knowing it has been removed, or simply figured that no one would ever figure it out._

  
Milo nodded and trotted over down a side path into some thick vegetation around the corner. “Over here,” he waved, “what about these?”

  
Once Aphrodite rounded the corner, he and Milo waited for Tryphosa, strolling leisurely along. As she passed out of view of the main thoroughfare, they pounced. Milo reached out with his Cosmo, performing a plucking motion with his hand, and dragged the thick, oily line of influence out. It fell to the ground and he fired six Scarlet Needles into it, which turned the pile into a smouldering mess on the ground. Aphrodite tried to grow a patch of weeds over it but they all refused to take root in the spot and died.

  
Tryphosa swayed, head aching as Milo caught her and guided her to a nearby picnic table. “Are you alright Mama?” He asked, kneeling before her.

  
“Milo?” She asked groggily, one hand stroked along his cheek. “You’re practically grown up. When did that happen?”

  
“It’s a long story, Mama.” With that he pulled her into a bone crushing hug.

  
As that reunion took place, Aphrodite rummaged in his bag, quickly applying a fresh coat of sunscreen before retrieving one of the notebooks. He flicked it open to one of the pages he and Milo had been working on from the section written in Akkadian. “How do you feel?”

  
“Fine,” she stretched, “wondering what the hell’s happened. Feels like I’ve been half asleep.”

  
“There is a story, and perhaps you can fill in a little bit of it, but this is what we know so far.” Aphrodite sat down on the ground, a small circle of flowers forming around him as he explained. Milo chimed in from time to time with his observations on the matter, but mostly stayed hugging Tryphosa. When the explanation finished, Aphrodite held up the notebook, “as near as we can tell, this is a list of all techniques that should be in any Saints repertoire, but it’s jumbled, until Milo came along I only gleaned a fraction of it. If I’m ever flung back in time, I swear I’m going to punch the incoherent train of thought out of the Aquarius that wrote this. Perhaps you could offer up some insight?”

  
Tryphosa nodded, “how about I go in order, you write it down, and we compare, eh?” Aphrodite clicked a pen and prepared to organize his notes. “So bare minimum for a Saint is the ability to move at mach 1, or three hundred forty three meters per second, as well as the ability to tap into one’s Cosmo…”

  
Milo’s mind wandered slightly, his senses stretching to find any incoming threat. After all if removing that horrific Cosmo could have alerted the Grand Master. He tensed as they talked about the powers of a Silver Saint, someone was approaching and fast, he readied to strike as Aldebaran rounded the corner. “Aldebaran!”

  
“Came as soon as the match was over,” he greeted, “I felt both of your Cosmos flare, but I couldn’t leave with stoppage still on and the score tied like that.” He chuckled, though his eyes were still focused.

  
“Of course, now Aldebaran, I need you to trust me and hold still.” With that Milo tugged at the small lump on the Taurus Saint’s Cosmo and blasted it with some more Scarlet Needles. The other Saint clutched his head for a moment, “sorry about that, had to be done.”

  
“Whoo, head rush.” He shook his head, rubbing at one temple, “what was that?”

  
“You better sit down for this one Alde.” Milo smiled at him and they settled in for the Scorpio Saint to explain what had happened. Aldebaran folded his arms, nodding as he followed the explanation.

  
Aphrodite paused and glanced over at where the other two were talking, before glancing over his notes. “So let me see if I have this all correct so far, an average Bronze Saint should be able to tap into one’s Cosmo, move at mach 1, achieve basic feats such as atomic destruction or temperature manipulation, and any specialized techniques an instructor wishes to pass on. At the Silver Saint level all Bronze prerequisites must be met, along with the ability to achieve mach 5, basic Cosmo sensing such as location and size of enemy and ally Cosmos or dispelling illusions.”

  
Tryphosa nodded, “yeah. And now for the last set, Milo, oi, Milo, we’re getting to the important bit now.”

  
“Huh? Oh right, come on Aldebaran, you should probably hear this too.” The younger Scorpio Saint smiled.

  
Aldebaran perked at that, and nodded, “I’m still not entirely sure about this whole magic book thing, but I believe you all about the situation. I haven’t seen Mû in Sanctuary in years, and he wouldn’t just up and leave like that without reason.” He and Milo stood before moving to the bench beside Aphrodite. “Besides, why else would Aphrodite be here and not admiring the plants?”

  
“I take a slight offense to that,” Aphrodite replied, “I’m taking some cuttings, I’ve been meaning to renovate Greenhouse 9, and something tropical sounds nice.”

  
Tryphosa snapped her fingers, “focus boys.” All three jerked to attention, and she smirked. “Better. Now, the power of an average Gold Saint. Can all of you light speed?” At the collective nod, the older Scorpio Saint let out a sigh of relief, “well that’s a good start. How are all of you at telepathy?”

  
“I’ve been practicing with Dite for the last week,” Milo replied.

  
“I can hear Mû when he wants to talk, but I thought that was just an Aries thing.” Aldebaran frowned slightly.

  
Tryphosa considered, “he’s Shion’s kid yeah? Atlantean if I remember right. They’re all pretty telepathic naturally, but you can call him with some practice. What about things like brief sensory, memory, or dream sharing?” Milo and Aldebaran shook their heads.

  
“Mû and I have been trying dream sharing out,” Aphrodite replied, “not as easy as it sounds on paper.”

  
She sighed and stretched, “detailed Cosmo sensing? Like you two can see these oil slicks from the fake right?” She nodded to the two blonds.

  
“Yeah,” Milo nodded, “though according to Aphrodite that’s only because we’ve had them removed from our own Cosmos.”

  
“Which brings up a question,” Aldebaran looked over Milo’s head to Aphrodite, “if you’ve been working on the inside for the fake Grand Master, why hasn’t he done anything to try and get ahold of you again?”

  
Aphrodite swallowed, he had tried very hard not to think about that possibility. Trust a Taurus Saint to go confront that head-on. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because he still has leverage over me, maybe Saga’s still fighting from the inside, maybe the Fates blinked.”

  
Tryphosa put a hand on his shoulder, “whatever the reason, you’re the one who got us this far. So, have a little faith, alright?” She tipped her chin up and put on a bad French accent, “such despair is unbecoming on your smiling face.” The Pisces Saint let out a snort before doubling over, letting out a full force laughing fit. Milo giggled and a moment later Aldebaran succumbed to the collective laughter. The older Saint, satisfied her work was done, nodded approvingly. “So you boys learned the Athena Exclamation?”

  
“I thought that was a forbidden technique,” Milo replied, fighting through the giggles.

  
“It’s not really forbidden so much as a technique of last resort just because of how destructive it is. But we can work on that later.” She smiled, “how’s the list looking?”

  
Aphrodite, chest heaving and cheeks flushed, inspected his notes, “that’s everything. Thank you Master Tryphosa.” He sobered and considered, “so what now?” He glanced over at Aldebaran and Milo.

  
Aldebaran bowed his head in thought, as Milo studied his mother. “Mama, do you know what happened to the rest of your contemporaries?”

  
Tryphosa blinked, as a slow look of panic crossed her face. “Shit. Shit, shit, shit.” She took a steadying breath, “I have a rolodex at home with their last addresses on file for Lew, Jacques and Genevieve.”

  
The Pisces Saint looked grim, “I hope they’re still alive. There have been assassination orders on all of them…”

  
“We’ll come track them down with you Mama.” Milo assured, standing up.

  
“What can I do?” Aldebaran nodded seriously, “I don’t know much about the retired Gold Saints.”

  
Milo closed his eyes in thought before beaming. “Alde, you know a lot about the training programs and try to keep an eye on up and coming candidates for Bronze Cloths especially yes?”

  
“Yeah, what about it?” Aldebaran raised an eyebrow.

  
Aphrodite looked as though their salvation had landed right on his doorstep. “Do you know if we have a candidate for Pegasus?”

  
“Pegasus?” The Taurus Saint thought for a few moments. “Not sure. Why?”

  
“Well, Athena is incarnate, which precludes a Holy War in the future, and when Athena incarnates, a Pegasus Saint is usually fast to follow. Can you keep an ear to the ground for someone who may take up that Cloth?” The Pisces Saint explained.

  
He smiled, looking thrilled at the prospect. “Of course! I can go check right now if you want!”

  
“Please?” Aphrodite felt like he could kiss Aldebaran on the spot.

  
“I’ll let you know what I find when you get back.” He stood up, dusting off his shorts.

  
The older teen shook his head, “no, it’d be risky if we suddenly started spending time together since we normally don’t spend much time together. Mû and I can try finding you the next time we dream share.”

  
Tryphosa considered, “should probably check in with the kid too, and Rôshi. We should set up a time to all meet up and pool resources. How does sometime next Wednesday sound?”

  
“I should be free then unless something comes up.” Aphrodite nodded.

  
Milo smiled and agreed. “I’m on post-mission leave.”

  
Aldebaran fretted, gazing longingly in the direction of the stadium. He shook his head before refocusing on the other three. “This is more important than a World Cup qualifier. Count me in.”

  
Tryphosa smirked as she stretched with a slight noise. “Alright. You get going kiddo,” she waved to Aldebaran, “come on boys, we have work to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got this churned out, I was getting stuck on some stuff towards the end. But now that this is done I'm pretty sure I can rocket through at least the next few chapters.


	7. The Ruins Between Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so there's some brief creepy stuff in here, and canon typical amounts of blood here. Just a heads up.

Milo and Aphrodite lingered in the kitchen door of Tryphosa’s small beach house in Eleuthera. The woman was flipping through the third rolodex, unearthed from behind the phone book and grocery list. Milo smiled despite the potentially dire situation, it was wonderful to see his mother come to life like this.

“Aha!” She pulled out two cards, waved them triumphantly, and, after a cursory read, grimaced. “Oh fuck me.”

“What is it?” Aphrodite tilted his head.

Tryphosa held up one of the cards as her head hit the table. “Asshole lives in Sweden.  _ Sweden! _ ”

The Pisces Saint blinked, “what’s wrong with Sweden? It’s quite lovely this time of year.”

She shot him a withering look before addressing her son. “Oi Milo, the fuck’s wrong with your boyfriend?”

“He’s Swedish, wouldn’t know the meaning of the word cold if it came up and stung him.” Aphrodite pouted at that and flipped his hair. Milo smiled and prodded him in the side affectionately. “We’re scorpions Dite, we don’t do cold.”

“Fair,” he relented with a sigh. “I suppose I’m not dressed for the climate either.” He glanced down to his crop top and booty shorts.

Tryphosa stood and disappeared towards her bedroom. They trailed after her, watching as layers of winter gear flew from the closet onto the bed. Twenty minutes later saw Aphrodite in a pair of fashionable boots, pants, and a sensible turtleneck. The Scorpio Saints meanwhile could only be described as human penguins, lost beneath at least four layers of clothing. Milo had decided against summoning his Cloth, lest it tip off someone in Sanctuary.

“Let’s get this over with.” Tryphosa’s voice was muffled behind a thick, handmade balaclava.

Once the house was locked up, the three of them sped back across the Atlantic. They appeared in a forest, thick with snow and ice, lit now by moon and starlight. A small herd of reindeer in the distance watched them warily as they approached a cabin. They could see animal skulls along the wall over the door.

Aphrodite reached out and took Milo’s hand. “Anyone else feel like we’re walking straight into a horror movie?”

Milo’s hand rose as Tryphosa chuckled. “That’s just Lew’s aesthetic.” The Pisces Saint frowned, since when was horror movie an aesthetic? They reached the door and Tryphosa banged on it. “Oi Lew! Open up you bastard, it’s freezing out here!”

The door opened, the hinges let out a long, baleful squeak and stopped halfway. The two younger Saints clung to one another. “I’m too beautiful to die like this.” Aphrodite hissed.

“Tell me about it,” Milo agreed.

As she shoved the door the rest of the way, Tryphosa gagged behind the balaclava. Both of the teens looked like they were going to be sick as they wretched, and followed her with a last, longing look back outside. The house was covered in a layer of dust and grime so thick, it looked like it had been abandoned for some time.

“Maybe he went out for a bite?” Milo offered hopefully.

“Of what?” His boyfriend glanced around at the animal bones strewn about, some half carved with intricate patterns. One decently sized skull sat inside an apparently empty terrarium with bits of flesh still hanging off of it.

“Well doesn’t look like anyone’s here, who’s next?” Aphrodite declared, aiming for the door, all too eager to escape the cabin.

“Holy shit Lew what happened to you?” Tryphosa meanwhile had rounded a moth-eaten easy chair.

The two teens crept around to join her and Aphrodite jumped into Milo’s arms in revulsion and horror, trying not to scream. A corpse-like giant of a man sat, staring off into space, his grizzled mane of pale blond hair was matted in several places along with an unkempt beard. His mismatched eyes, one deep brown, and the other icy blue, were glazed over. In his hand was a half drunk bottle of vodka. Tryphosa frowned, and turned her attention to the far corner of the room, a record player covered in dust, and a guitar case in need of serious repair. The only upside the two could find, if it could be called that, was the man’s chest was still moving.

“How bad is he kids?” She asked, before rolling her eyes. “Come on boys, focus!” She snapped.

“R-Right…” Aphrodite uncoiled from his boyfriend’s arms and sought out the man’s Cosmo. He stepped back, brow furrowed. “That thing is massive, I think it’s been feeding on him for some time now.”

“Feeding?!” Both Scorpio Saints shouted in unison.

“Someone may have to hold him down while we dispose of it.” The Pisces Saint summoned a rose. “Let’s get to work shall we?”

He threw the rose, and it caught in the oil slick on the man’s Cosmo. He reached out and seized where the rose had indicated the abnormality was weak and pulled. Milo fell in behind him and tugged as well. It took the two of them a great strain of effort to remove the mass by force, this thing had its hooks in the man for a while. Even as Tryphosa held her friend in place and tried to muffle his pained screaming, both of the younger Saints were having some trouble getting a grip on it. Two long tendrils of Cosmo infused rose stem wrapped around Aphrodite’s arms and he tried again to get a grip on the monstrosity. The thorns caught in the mass and together they ripped it out.

When it appeared in the material plane at last, the they shoved the thing out the door. Six bright red burst of light followed after, leaving scorched impact sites and a bouquet of decayed roses in the snow. Aphrodite and Milo slumped against one another, their chests heaved with the effort.

“How bad was that?” Milo asked.

“Bad, very bad.” Aphrodite looked out the door at the gap in the snow. “About as bad as mine was.” The Scorpio Saint nodded, face scrunched in worry.

Back on the chair, Tryphosa patted Lew’s cheek. “Hey, Lew, c’mon wake up. You in there big guy? You owe me a bottle of vodka.”

“No problem, Phosa.” Came the low, gravelly answer.

She stood and released him from his seat, and watched as he unfolded from it, blinked twice and looked down at her. “I thought you swore you’d never go anywhere with snow.”

“Emergency, how do you feel?”

“Desperate need of a shower.”

“Your pipes are probably frozen.”

“Mmm.”

Tryphosa rolled her eyes. “Come on dumbass, let’s get you back to mine.”

Lew walked over to the guitar case, dusted it off and picked it up. He then retrieved a spike studded jacket with an embroidered patch that appeared to be some sort of bird with its wings forming a full circle. “Alright then.”

“Just like that?” Milo questioned as he pulled the keys off the peg by the door.

“Kiddo, don’t question it.” Tryphosa shook her head as she heaved the longest suffering sigh either of them had ever heard.

However the question seemed to stop the man as he ducked to another part of the cabin and picked up a smaller guitar case. “Now we can go.”

Aphrodite and Milo watched, thoroughly bewildered at this entire interaction. “Shall we leave this place? I feel like some creature from a horror movie is going to pop up and eat us or something.”

As soon as they had left the cabin, the scorch marks on the ground outside began to bubble. The air was filled with an acrid, metallic burning smell. The head of something large, a skull gushing thick, oily blood emerged. It was a boar, but larger, much larger than any hog could ever hope to be. The rest of the body scrambled out, covered in broken twists of armor, red fur soaked with blood.

“What the hell is that?!” Milo shouted, even as his stingers popped out.

Aphrodite conjured several roses in hand. “At a guess we only stunned whatever it was that was feeding on him.”

The boar let out an inhuman shriek, and Tryphosa stepped in front of the teens. “Mum?!” The younger Scorpio Saint stared at her.

“You’ve never gotten to see us go all out have you?” She glanced back and winked at him. “Consider this resubmitting my training credentials.” She raised a hand, stinger extended. Tryphosa took a deep, steadying breath. “SCARLET NEEDLE!”

Aphrodite was immediately struck by raw difference in power between her attack and Milo’s. It was the difference between a sparkler and a full fireworks display. Both of the teens staggered back from the force as the four needles pierced the thick hide of the demon boar. The creature itself stumbled, bellowing in anger, blood spurting from the massive wounds.

“You,” Lew snarled as he set the two cases aside. When he stood, he dipped his hands in charred dirt and painted his face with it. From their angle, the teens thought the design resembled a skull, doubly creepy since he already half resembled a corpse. “You’re going straight to hell…” his hands lifted, “GALAXIAN EXPLOSION!”

The sound of the very heavens splitting and crashing resounded around them. By the time the noise faded, the boar had once again been reduced to ash, along with a portion of the forest. Tryphosa rolled her eyes, “you and your weird paint thing.” However, Lew wavered before keeling over onto his face. She walked over and nudged him with her boot. “Tch, I had that under control. Milo, duck back in and grab that terrarium, he’s gonna be pissed if his bugs die. Aphrodite, help me pick this idiot up.”

It took a great deal of courage for the Pisces Saint to aid in picking the man up, but he did so. Besides the sooner they got him out of here, the sooner he could be bathed and tell them what the hell that was all about. When Milo returned, carrying the terrarium, and eyeing it dubiously, Tryphosa stretched.

“Come on boys, we’re heading for our next destination,” she declared.

Milo nodded. “Where are we going Mama?”

“Romania, at least according to the last address I have.” She withdrew the other card that she’d collected from the rolodex. “Besides, if anyone can get this idiot taken care of, it’s his parents.”

An instant later they had arrived outside of a large house that could easily qualify as a small mansion. They could hear the distant sounds of a town echoing through the fields behind them. Tryphosa led the way up the gravel drive, shedding layer after layer of coats. They arrived at the front door, and she knocked. A few tense moments passed as they waited, hoping nothing else horrifying would jump out at them.

The door opened onto a woman, barely five feet tall, if that, her grey hair braided and pulled into a bun. Freckles dusted her warm, pale skin, along with laugh lines around her face. She eyed them suspiciously. “What do you want?”

“Sorry about this Gen,” Tryphosa smiled, and found the small amount of influence clinging to her Cosmo and sliced it off. A single needle was all it took to vaporize it.

The small woman leaned heavily on the door frame for a moment. “Phosa? What was that?”

“Long story, your husband in?” She asked, peering around the entrance hall.

Not ten seconds later a man, as tall as Lew though not quite so broad in the shoulders, appeared. His the tight rows of braids held his salt-and-pepper curls away from his face. His rich black skin was creased with laugh lines like his wife’s. His eyebrows creased in worry, even as Tryphosa sliced through his Cosmo. He swayed for a moment, but caught himself on the door frame. “Who are these two?” He asked, eyeing the kids.

Tryphosa nodded, “this is my little boy, Milo, and that’s his boyfriend Aphrodite, he’s Aurelien’s. Boys, this is Leo Jacques, and Sagittarius Genevieve.”

Both of them smiled in greeting before the two older Saints let them in. Genevieve guided them to one of the guest rooms in the house, as Jacques took Lew from Aphrodite. They set Lew on a guest bed, and went to work getting him at least somewhat cleaned up. “What’s this about Phosa?” Jacques asked, scissors in hand as he clipped away the mats. “What happened to our son?"

“It’s more than just him,” Aphrodite explained. “You experienced a brief bout of dizziness earlier yes?” They both nodded. “Well, that was the work of who or whatever has possessed Gemini Saga. Once Master Tryphosa snipped it out of you, the dizziness was likely the recalibration of your Cosmo.”

“Possession?!” Genevieve snapped. “What about Aiolos?! Or Kanon?!”

“Aiolos has been dead the last ten years. Kanon’s been missing for about as long.” Milo tilted his head, utterly confused.

Jacques frowned, long and deep, as he continued working. “I let Aiolia take his trial too young… Gen get the letters.”

A flash later and Genevieve was next to the bed digging through a filing box full of letters. Blank page after blank page fell from the box. “Then all those letters from Aiolos and Aiolia…”

“Fakes.” Tryphosa placed a hand on her shoulder gently. “Sorry, Gen.”

“What the hell’s going on in Sanctuary?” The old woman’s eyes welled with tears. “Why didn’t Shion say anything?”

The older Scorpio Saint swallowed. “Shion’s been dead for ten year too, and Aurelien, and Dio. Shit’s hit the fan and we never knew…” Genevieve’s hands shook, and she pulled her friend and mentor into a tight hug. Jacques paused in his work, and pulled them both to him. 

Aphrodite and Milo stepped out of the room, leaving Tryphosa to explain the situation. The two young Saints leaned against the wall, the former staring out the window to a small vegetable patch.

“Are you alright?” Milo wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s waist and tucked himself under his chin.

Aphrodite heaved a sigh, before burying his nose in the thick dark gold curls. “No.”

“Do you miss your father?”

“Yes…” He heaved a sigh. “My apologies Milo, I doubt this was how you wanted to spend your birthday.”

“Considering I have another birthday planned in a couple of months once the thaw hits Siberia.” He smiled and pressed a kiss to the taller youth’s jaw. “You could come with, I’m sure if I sat you down with Camus, you two would get along well.”

“I suppose.” He snuggled in again.

Their globe trotting meant that it was nearly midnight local time when their predecessors emerged, the sound of bathwater running in the background. 

“You two can come back in now.” Tryphosa summoned, head poking out of the door.

The two made their way back inside and found that Lew had been moved to the bathroom by Jacques, for the next round of cleanup. Genevieve looked up at the pair of them. “Sounds like you boys have had a rough time of it.”

“You could say that.” Milo squeezed Aphrodite’s hand.

“How can we help?”

Tryphosa startled and looked down at the Sagittarius Saint. “You can’t be serious Gen, you’re almost ninety!”

“And if I recall you just turned fifty.” She prodded the Scorpio Saint in the ribs. “If you can’t leave well enough alone, neither can I.”

Tryphosa scratched the shaved side of her head, defeated. “Yes Ma.”

Genevieve chuckled. “Did Tryphosa ever tell you when we first brought her up to become the candidate for Scorpio, she found the newest litter at the cat colony, and started crying because she couldn’t hold all the kittens?”

Aphrodite and Milo both snorted at that. “Oh Mum, that’s precious!” He smiled at her fondly.

“And you felt the need to tell them that because why?” Tryphosa eyed her.

The Sagittarius Saint smiled. “We were all a little too tense. It’s hard to think when things are too serious.” She flicked her foot under the bed and rolled out a bow and quiver.

“Right.” The older Scorpio Saint remained skeptical as she commandeered a chair. “We’re having a planning meeting next week, dream space. Think Lew will be up for it?”

“He should.” Genevieve craned her neck to see into the bathroom.

Jacques nodded. “He will be. Lew’s a sturdy boy.”

“Do you know who’s dream we’re meeting in?” Genevieve asked.

Aphrodite thought, finger pressed to his chin. “We need someone experienced in the matter as there are four of us, plus the four of you. Mû might be able to handle it if it was just us.”

“Rôshi,” all the adults said at the same time.

The Pisces Saint blinked. “Oh. I almost forgot about him.”

“We’ll talk to him about the meetup. You kids should get back before someone gets suspicious,” Jacques said.

The yawn Milo let out was more than enough to convince Aphrodite. “We’ll see you all next week, yes?”

“Yeah, you kids get back safe alright?” Tryphosa smiled and pulled Milo and Aphrodite into a tight hug. “Happy birthday lil’ stinger.”

“Thanks Mum. See you in three days for yours?”

She rolled her eyes but kissed his forehead. “If you want, but be careful, yeah? And you take care of him, Rosy?”

“Rosy?” Aphrodite considered the nickname but beamed. “Of course I will. I don’t intend for anyone else to get hurt if I can help it.”

* * *

 

Back in Sanctuary, a tall figure, hidden behind an impossible shadow cast by a helm and shrouded in black robes felt two Cosmos return through the barrier. Aphrodite had been somewhere with Milo. Three hours before that Aldebaran had returned. But between those two arrivals, one of his servants had perished. The one binding that foolish Gemini in a sea of his own guilt. Had one of his pets betrayed him? No, not Aphrodite. After all he still held the key to his loyalty down in Cancer. As long as he had his prized dog, that foolish youth would never turn on him. Too blinded by pride and loyalty. Still the loss of that servant angered him, he would take the opportunity to remind the Gold Saints where their loyalty should lie.

_ Far in the back of the usurper’s mind, in a small cell of despair, lingered a young man. He hadn’t seen the light of hope in ten, long years. But this small idea, the thought someone was out there answering his prayers to Athena, kindled that small spark in him. _


End file.
